The present invention relates generally to prime movers and, more particularly, to prime movers of the type that are called upon to provide different levels of power and must deliver power at different shaft speeds and torques.
When supplying power from a prime mover such as an internal combustion engine to, e.g., a transmission, it is often necessary to change the speed or torque supplied to a flywheel. The engine may initially be operated at a particular speed and torque combination that results in, e.g., optimal fuel consumption levels for the load demanded. However, changing the speed or torque demanded at the flywheel may result in it being necessary to operate the engine conditions that are less than optimal in terms of fuel consumption. It is desirable to reduce the complexity of changing engine speed and torque to the driveline in some manner that avoids the need to change engine crankshaft speeds to the ranges used by clutches, transmissions, drive shafts, and axles.
Heavy duty engine design is moving toward lowering engine speed operating ranges to improve fuel economy in vehicles. This trend creates a need for new clutch, transmission, driveshaft, and axle designs to handle the higher mean operating torques. Moreover, in general, different drivetrain designs must often be provided whenever different operating torques are used. This makes it difficult to standardize drivetrain design. It is desirable to facilitate use of a variety of prime movers of different operating torques in a common or more standardized drivetrain design.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a prime mover arrangement comprises a prime mover including a first shaft driven by the prime mover, a second shaft, the first and second shafts being non-coaxial, and a speed and torque manipulator connected to the first shaft and to the second shaft, the speed and torque manipulator permitting manipulation of at least one non-one-to-one ratio allowing speed and torque of the second shaft to be different than that of the prime mover.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for controlling speed and torque output of a prime mover arrangement, the prime mover arrangement comprising a prime mover and a speed and torque manipulator, the method comprising operating the prime mover so that a first shaft is driven by the prime mover at a first speed and at a first torque, driving the speed and torque manipulator via the first shaft, driving a second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a first output speed and first output torque at a first non-one-to-one ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, the second shaft being non-coaxial with the first shaft.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a non-transitory computer program product comprising computer code for controlling speed and torque output of a prime mover arrangement is provided, the prime mover arrangement comprising a prime mover and a speed and torque manipulator, to perform a method comprising operating the prime mover so that a first shaft is driven by the prime mover at a first speed and at a first torque, driving a speed and torque manipulator via the first shaft, driving a second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a first output speed and first output torque at a first ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, the second shaft being non-coaxial with the first shaft, driving the second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a second output speed and second output torque at a second ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, and driving the second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a third output speed and third output torque at a third ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a prime mover arrangement comprises a prime mover including a first shaft driven by the prime mover, a second shaft, and a speed and torque manipulator connected to the first shaft and to the second shaft, the speed and torque manipulator permitting manipulation between at least three different input/output ratios of speeds and torques input by the first shaft and output to the second shaft.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling speed and torque output of a prime mover arrangement is provided, the prime mover arrangement comprising a prime mover and a speed and torque manipulator. The method comprises operating the prime mover so that a first shaft is driven by the prime mover at a first speed and at a first torque, driving a speed and torque manipulator via the first shaft, driving a second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a first output speed and first output torque at a first ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, driving the second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a second output speed and second output torque at a second ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, and driving the second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a third output speed and third output torque at a third ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a non-transitory computer program product comprising computer code for controlling speed and torque output of a prime mover arrangement is provided, the prime mover arrangement comprising a prime mover and a speed and torque manipulator, to perform a method comprising operating the prime mover so that a first shaft is driven by the prime mover at a first speed and at a first torque, driving a speed and torque manipulator via the first shaft, driving a second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a first output speed and first output torque at a first ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, driving the second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a second output speed and second output torque at a second ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, and driving the second shaft via the speed and torque manipulator at a third output speed and third output torque at a third ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a generator arrangement comprises a generator including a first shaft arranged to drive the generator, a second shaft adapted to be driven, and a speed and torque manipulator connected to the first shaft and to the second shaft, the speed and torque manipulator permitting manipulation between a plurality of different input/output ratios of speeds and torques input by the second shaft and output to the first shaft.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method for controlling speed and torque output of a generator arrangement is provided, the generator arrangement comprising a generator connected to a speed and torque manipulator via a first shaft, and a second shaft that is adapted to be driven to input power to the speed and torque manipulator. The method comprises driving the second shaft at a first speed and at a first torque, driving the speed and torque manipulator via the second shaft, driving the first shaft and the generator via the speed and torque manipulator at a first output speed and first output torque at a first ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, and driving the first shaft and the generator via the speed and torque manipulator at a second output speed and second output torque at a second ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a non-transitory computer program product is provided and comprises computer code for controlling speed and torque output of a generator arrangement according to a method, the generator arrangement comprising a generator connected to a speed and torque manipulator via a first shaft, and a second shaft that is adapted to be driven to input power to the speed and torque manipulator. The method comprises registering that the second shaft is being driven at a first speed and at a first torque, driving the speed and torque manipulator via the second shaft, driving the first shaft and the generator via the speed and torque manipulator at a first output speed and first output torque at a first ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque, and driving the first shaft and the generator via the speed and torque manipulator at a second output speed and second output torque at a second ratio relative to the first speed and the first torque.